Move Forward: Mogli

With our portrait series Move Forward, we want to put a spotlight on the artists we’re inspired by and who are starting a movement of their own. For one day, they show us how they like to get around town and what drives them.

Singer-songwriter Mogli made a name for herself with the 2016 film Expedition Happiness. Together with the filmmaker Felix Starck, she converted an old school bus into a loft on wheels and traveled through America for a year – from Alaska to Mexico. During this journey, she wrote her album Wanderer, which also served as the soundtrack for the film.

In the summer of 2018, Mogli moved to Berlin, where she is currently working on her third album. She’s been getting around the city on her unu Scooter ever since and is a big fan of the brand, sharing the same values and a love for the city with it.

As part of a video shoot, we accompanied Mogli around Berlin for a day, visited her at home and in her studio und let her show us the places she’s inspired by – from forest and river to cafés and gig venues. In our interview, she tells us what brought her to Berlin, where she finds inspiration and what she thinks of sustainability.

Mogli, why did you move to Berlin this year?

I need a home that serves as a retreat for me. My life is very fast-paced and colourful and it’s always really busy. That’s why I lived in the countryside, but at some point I spent so much time in Berlin that it became really stressful to drive back and forth all the time. I love Berlin and I’ve now created the perfect balance for myself by choosing a cosy apartment right by a park, but I can still get out and experience the hustle and bustle any time I want.

What inspires you for your music?

Definitely the interpersonal relationships in my life – that doesn’t necessarily have to be romantic though. Love and people are really important to me and manage to get the strongest emotional reaction from me.

Which places in the city inspire you?

I love streets with lots of small little shops and cafés. I could sit there for hours and watch people. At the same time I find nature in an urban context very special. Berlin is surrounded by so much land and so many forests and lakes. The fact that I can just get out there for an afternoon gives me the peace and quiet I need to recharge my batteries and regain my energy. New songs come with new energy.

Mogli takes her unu Scooter for a spin around Berlin

“I need a home that serves as a retreat for me. My life is very fast-paced and colourful and it’s always really busy.”

Mogli moved to Berlin in the summer 2018 and has since been working on her new album

What do you appreciate about cities?

This might be sound clichéd, but I like that there are so many people here. I love to people watch and enjoy sitting in a café whilst working and watching people pass me by.

And what do you like about Berlin?

There’s this really special energy in Berlin. So many people here have new ideas, want to make a difference and found startups.

unu puts a lot of importance on sustainability. Is this reflected in your lifestyle, too?

I try to live my life as sustainably as possible and to take care of the environment. I started only wearing fair and sustainable fashion a few years ago. At some point I realised that some of the clothes I want to wear aren’t available sustainably yet, so I started to design my own pieces. This year, I collaborated with my friend who owns her own label to create a collection.

I think it’s crucial that we all contribute to making the world a better place. However, it’s not a good idea to constantly force yourself to be perfect – it’s impossible. For example, I started with some areas that felt easier to me. I still allow myself some mistakes in other areas where I find it harder. This balance is important to me, in order to be in a good mood and stable – and in order to then carry this out into the world.

“I love unu because it enables me to quickly get from one appointment to the next without harming the environment.”

“Berlin is surrounded by so much land and so many forests and lakes. The fact that I can just get out there for an afternoon gives me the peace and quiet I need to recharge my batteries and regain my energy. New songs come with new energy.”

Mogli in front of her studio in Berlin

What does the unu Scooter enable you to do?

I love unu because it enables me to quickly get from one appointment to the next without harming the environment. I often have appointments every hour, and otherwise I’d be forced to use a car. Instead I can use my unu Scooter and even save some time, because I don’t have to look for a parking space. I love riding scooters, it has its own flair. And that the whole thing is now sustainable is a dream come true. Oh, and unu Scooters are beautiful!

What does a normal day for Mogli look like?

There’s no such thing, every day is different. Some days I spend on my computer, then I’m in the studio for a whole week or have hourly meetings. Each week is different from the one before. That’s exactly why I’m so happy about the flexibility I get from my unu Scooter.

Travel means a source of inspiration for you, as well as…?

Switching off and growing at the same time. And becoming more open.

“I try to live my life as sustainably as possible and to take care of the environment. I started only wearing fair and sustainable fashion a few years ago” – Mogli at Pick’n Weight in Berlin

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